We the People, Ireland’s only social marketing agency, announces senior hires and internal promotions as the agency’s growth continues. Following another year of spectacular growth in 2022 which saw turnover grow by 163% after previously growing by over 8 times across 2020-2021, the agency is expanding its team to add further expertise in key growth areas while also developing additional services and offerings for clients.
We the People is a social marketing agency that specialises in helping clients target hard to reach audiences and is the go-to agency for Ireland’s public sector and non-profits for behaviour and attitude change campaigns tackling Ireland’s biggest social issues. Social marketing is a blend of behavioural science with commercial marketing techniques for positive social impact and We the People is Ireland’s only specialist agency operating in this space. The additional hires and promotions will further cement the agency’s position as the leading operator in this space whether through its enhanced digital and strategy offering or its continually growing creative and client services teams.
Aoife Cooney is now Director of Strategy & Digital at We the People, bolstering the credentials of the already experienced team with her wealth of experience in planning and deploying integrated, digital-first campaigns across communications and fundraising. Aoife has over 15 years of experience across traditional and digital marketing, PR and brand marketing. Her most recent role before We the People was at Teneo as Director of Strategic Communications. Previously, Aoife led the Marketing team at Focus Ireland for seven years. With a background in fashion, Aoife spent seven years as Brand Director for a Danish high street label. She moved into the not-for-profit sector in 2015 where she worked across campaign strategy before moving to specialise in digital integrated communications strategy across fundraising, advocacy and organisational communications. She set up an in-house digital department at Focus Ireland and transformed all fundraising to a digital-first model achieving exponential growth across a two-year transformation strategy.
Sanjay Sur has also been hired as We the People’s Creative Director. For over 15 years, Sanjay has worked at some of the most accomplished creative and advertising agencies in London, working on campaigns for Marks & Spencers, Google and other major blue-chip brands. Sanjay has been working with We the People on a freelance basis since 2017, but his addition as a full-time staff member and leader of the creative team will ensure the agency’s creative reputation will be imbued throughout all campaigns, content and creative outputs for all clients.
Finally, We the People announces the promotion of Chris Ó Lorcáin, MPRII to Communications Director. In his new role, Chris will continue to lead the team at We the People in developing campaigns and projects that consistently and creatively deliver above and beyond client expectations. Chris joined We the People in 2021 following a long career in PR and marketing communications both internationally and in Ireland, working across global brands as well as leading names in the not-for-profit, governmental and supranational sector. Since joining We the People, Chris has led the delivery of award-winning multi-year campaigns such as Threshold and the Department of Housing’s “Own Your Rights” as well as working across a wealth of clients and sectors from Munster Technological University, the European Parliament and European Commission to Youth Work Ireland, spunout, 50808, Rethink Ireland, Amnesty International, NCBI and multiple local authorities such as Roscommon and Leitrim County Councils.
Speaking about the agency’s continued expansion, founder and Managing Director of We the People, Niall Cowley, MPRII said: “These new appointments bolster our Senior Management Team and come as our agency continues its positive trajectory over the last few years, with impressive growth and significant new business wins. New clients now working with We the People include the EU’s Directorate General for Employment, the European Commission Representation in Ireland, European Parliament, National Transport Authority, Fingal County Council, Leitrim County Council, SafeFood, Munster Technological University, the National Rehabilitation Hospital and the National Ambulance Service. I couldn’t be prouder to continue growing our amazing team, and we look forward to continuing to deliver incredible and innovative work for our clients throughout 2023 and beyond.”